IT is never easy watching a grown man cry.
Especially when said teary adult is someone, and we’re talking about Graeme Murty here, who you’ve come to genuinely like.
This happened a couple of weeks back, a half hour or so after Rangers had put in a quite dreadful performance at Dens Park when they lost to a Dundee side that had been bottom of the Premiership.
Murty was speaking to Rangers TV and whether it was anger, emotion or simple sadness, he began to well up and the interview was cut short.
Although as more than one supporter said at the time, at least the interim manager showed that he cared, which was a lot more than could have been said about the players, at least on that night.
Murty then had to speak to the daily newspapers and, after that ordeal was over when all he wanted to do was get back onto the team bus, he had to speak to a group of journalists from the Sunday newspapers, myself being one of them.
He bit his tongue while choosing his words.
He knew by then the new manager would not be appointed until after the double header against Aberdeen and therefore reading the riot act in private or public was no use to him or Rangers. He need the players with him.
Murty doesn’t come across as a selfish man but just maybe a bit of self-preservation was at play here.
After all, his Rangers team had just lost to Hamilton and then Dundee and should they have gone down twice to Aberdeen, it wouldn’t have done his reputation as a coach much good.
I wrote at the time that while Murty had nothing to apologise for but the youth coach looked understandably out of his depth and it would be best for him if the Ranger board acted quickly and got in a permanent manager.
As we now know, the board acted like rank amateurs and so Murty is Rangers manager until after his side visit Celtic Park, where lest we forget he took a point last season, and perhaps for a bit lot longer.
And so he should.
Murty beat Aberdeen twice and has now added a win at Easter Road to his CV.
He’s got Ross McCrorie playing like a star, David Bates has really looked the part and the likes of Josh Windass and Jason Holt have been given a fresh breath of life. In short, the stand-in man has been outstanding.
Honest question. Would anyone trust this Rangers board to find someone next month who could do the job better? Don’t all put your hands up at once.
Celtic, and this is important, are only five points ahead. Sure, they have a game in hand and will break away soon enough but, come on, did anyone expect Murty’s Rangers to have taken 12 points from 12 after that night in Dundee?
There is at least there is one man at Ibrox who can hand on heart say he is giving his best for that club without a hint of ego or self-interest. Good on him.
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